A revived Ryan Raburn would be great help to Tigers

AP PhotoWith a homer and four RBIs vs. the Nationals on Tuesday night, Ryan Raburn looked like the hitter he became in 2009.

Welcome aboard the 2010 season, Ryan Raburn.

It hasn't been an easy year thus far for the Detroit Tigers' reserve outfielder and second baseman. First of all, there's that "reserve" status.

After what appeared to be a breakthrough season in 2009, in which he hit .291/.359/.533 with 16 home runs and 45 RBIs in 291 plate appearances, Raburn looked as if he might have a shot at the starting left field job.

Then Jim Leyland promised that position to Carlos Guillen, when he squawked about being phased into a part-time role.

Months later, during spring training, free agent Johnny Damon still hadn't signed with a team. The Tigers hadn't considered they'd be able to bring in such a savvy veteran. But Damon was available. Seeing a chance to put a healthier player in their lineup, Detroit signed the former Yankees outfielder and immediately made him the starting left fielder.

Meanwhile, Raburn must have felt like he was in the back of the room, obscured from view, trying to get noticed. Hey guys, remember me? Had a pretty good year?

Instead of establishing himself as a starter on a playoff contender, Raburn found himself having to fight for a reserve outfielder's position during Spring Training. To give himself more of a chance, he also worked at second base, giving the Tigers some insurance if rookie Scott Sizemore showed he wasn't ready.

But whether it was because he worried about keeping a spot on the roster, or sulked at being passed over in favor of older veterans, Raburn just hasn't played well to this point.

Due to the outfield depth, he couldn't break into the lineup early in the season. And when he did play, he misplayed balls on defense and struggled at the plate. That made Raburn expendable when the Tigers needed an extra pitcher, and he was sent down to Triple-A Toledo.

Getting demoted apparently sharpened Raburn's focus. Or perhaps more playing time helped him find his groove. In 29 plate appearances, Raburn hit .444/.483/.667. Calling him back up was probably a formality after serving his mandatory 10 days in the minors. But at least this time, Raburn earned the promotion.

He still hasn't played a whole lot in the three-plus weeks since returning to Detroit. Brennan Boesch has been an unexpected surprise in the outfield. And Guillen has found a new home at second base. But with injuries to Magglio Ordonez and Austin Jackson, Raburn has another chance. And on Tuesday night, he may have finally seized the opportunity.

Fans surely cringed when they saw Raburn leading off and playing centerfield for the series opener against the Washington Nationals. But with Jackson fighting back spasms, the Tigers really didn't have any alternatives.

Raburn drove in Detroit's first run of the night, drawing a bases-loaded walk in the second inning. Two innings later, he singled and scored another run. Finally, with the game tied 4-4 in the fifth inning, Raburn jumped on a weak fastball from John Lannan and crushed it over the left-field bullpen for a three-run homer.

2-for-4 with a walk and four RBIs? That looked more like the Raburn we saw last season.

Maybe it's just one game. But perhaps it's the result of Raburn getting some regular playing time again. (Although he was on an 0-for-14 streak coming into Tuesday night. We're still talking about a guy hitting .180.) Or it could be the flaw that hitting coach Lloyd McClendon noticed in his stride.

Raburn will likely head back to the bench once Jackson's back loosens up. And Ordonez has already returned. But if McClendon believes Raburn is about to get hot, as he told Leyland during Tuesday's game, then the Tigers need to find a spot for him somehow. It's up to Raburn to make that a difficult decision for Leyland, however.

[EDIT: Incorrect information about Raburn's Spring Training stats was originally included in this article. Thanks to Brian Packey for pointing out the mistake.]